rsc stratford virtual tour

WELCOME TO STRATFORD HALL’S VIRTUAL TOUR.

Immerse yourself in this National Historic Landmark through 360-degree panoramic images of each room in the Great House, the garden, the historic kitchen, the stone slave quarters, and the Stratford at the Crossroads exhibit.

Interacting with the virtual tour is easy. Simply use your mouse, trackpad, or finger to move left or right and up or down. This will allow you to see historic paint details, original floorboards, and collections items on display, offering a full-immersion experience.

Made possible by generous support from the Frances and Beverly DuBose Foundation.

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Behind-the-scenes tour at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre

The Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of the playwright and poet, was established in 1879 with its own permanent troupe of professional actors. Performances here often feature major stars in the regular Shakespearean productions and high-caliber contemporary plays.

Although attending a performance is highly recommended, a backstage tour offers a fascinating introduction to the history of the theater and the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), as well as giving you an insider's view of the inner-workings of the theater. You'll get a sense of how much goes on in preparation for and during a production, giving you a deeper layer of understanding prior to watching a live performance.

The hour-long, small-group tour begins in the theater’s entrance, where you meet your guide. You're then told a little about the theater's redevelopment, which concluded with the opening of a new performance space in 2010. You then head upstairs to see sections of the theater walls that combine elements of the previous theater on the site and the new.

You discover how the building's architecture affects acoustics as well as the audience experience. You also learn how the new design better reflects the theater conditions audiences would have experienced in Shakespeare's time In the restaurant you can even see three of the old theater seats left hanging in the wall, much further from the stage than the current arrangement.

Next, you head backstage to see behind the scenes in parts of the theater not usually accessible to the public. Visit the dressing rooms, the wardrobe department and the wig-making workshop as well as more technical areas such as the lighting booths, audio description room and direction booths.

In each you learn a little about the work done there and how it contributes to the process of theater-making. You'll gain a basic understanding of the work of the production director who controls the show and get a sense of the precise timings needed for a successful performance.

Then it's off to the main theater, which seats an audience of over 1,000 around three sides of the refurbished stage. After hearing a little about its design and taking a look around you proceed to the adjacent Swan Theatre, a smaller 'in-the-round' performance space based on Elizabethan designs.

As you stroll around the theater your guide's expert knowledge and passion brings the theater and its inner workings to life. Along the way you'll learn about the origins of the RSC, the history of the successive theater buildings which have stood on this site, and about some of the famous players who have graced its stage.

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Photos of Behind-the-scenes tour at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre

Other experiences in Stratford-upon-Avon

These activities are designed to give you the most authentic experiences around where you're staying. We work with local guides, who use their knowledge and often a resident's eye to show you the main sights and more out-of-the-way attractions. Our specialists can suggest tours and activities that will introduce you to the local ways of life.

Shakespeare's Stratford walking tour

Explore the medieval market town of Stratford-upon-Avon in the company of an expert guide who will walk you through the streets of William Shakespeare's hometown, taking you to his birthplace, school and burial place as the Bard's story unfolds.

Experience it for yourself

You can enjoy this activity as part of the suggested tour below, or we can weave it into a trip shaped entirely around you.

Literary tour through England

9 days from $11,745pp

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Backstage Tours at RSC credit Sam Allard c RSC

Theatre Tours Return At The Royal Shakespeare Theatre In Stratford-Upon-Avon

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s popular Theatre Tours in Stratford-upon-Avon will resume from Saturday 30 April with a new 1-hour guided tour which, when possible, will include first-time public access to the Company’s newly developed Costume Workshop, the largest in-house costume-making department of any British theatre*

Led by the RSC’s experienced team of tour guides, the newly launched Theatre Tour will invite audiences to explore the public and backstage areas of the building, and find out more about the unique history of the RSC and its buildings in Stratford. The guides will also bring the tours to life with new and engaging stories about one of the most famous theatre companies in the world

The RSC’s iconic Tower will also reopen from Tuesday 15 March. Standing 36 metres tall, and with views across Warwickshire, entrance to the Tower will be free, and prebooking is not required. It will be open daily, closing at 4pm.

Kevin Wright, RSC Head of Commercial Development, said: “We are delighted to be offering public theatre tours again, after a hiatus of over two years. We have taken this time to refresh the tours, so that, when possible, they will include a visit to our new Costume Workshop, giving people a glimpse into the work of the largest in-house costume-making department of any British theatre.  The guides will also have lots of new stories to tell about the RSC’s rich history, celebrating the diversity of our productions and the people who have worked here. We are also very pleased, once again, to offer everyone the chance to visit the top of our Tower with its spectacular views.”

Theatre tours will run daily, normally with four tours a day, apart from on matinee days when there will be two, and on Sundays when there will be three.

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Theatre tour tickets cost £12 per person.  A family ticket is also available offering half-price tickets for up to four family members under the age of 18 with every full priced adult ticket purchased.

Theatre tour tickets can be booked from 21 March via rsc.org.uk or 01789 331111.

*The RSC is a working theatre company. For this reason, access to backstage areas and the Costume Workshop as part of Theatre Tours is not guaranteed.

Staff Writer

At Theatre Weekly we are dedicated to giving theatre a new audience. Our News, Reviews and Interviews are all written with the audience in mind, helping you decide what to see next. And when you have decided, our great ticket deals will help save you money too.

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Virtual tour

Explore our theatres in Stratford-upon-Avon and take a peek inside.

See if you can find your way onto the Royal Shakespeare Theatre or Swan Theatre stages.

Look for the white arrows on the floor. Use them to move around and explore our building. Use your keyboard arrow keys or drag the screen to look up, down, left or right.

• Virtual tour - Royal Shakespeare Theatre

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Guided tour of the RSC Stratford - Royal Shakespeare Theatre

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Guided tour of the RSC Stratford

Had a very interesting tour with a very knowledgeable guide who had a sharp wit. It was very interesting to go round the backstage area (well, not actually 'back' stage - but up into the gantry to look at the mixing desk and the room where they make the wigs & the dressing rooms). Lots of information on the best way to make blood and false eyes for when they are popped out in King Lear. Recommended if you are interested. It's also a nice building and the staff were all on point with advice and help. We were able to store our coats in the cloakroom for free whilst we were on the tour.

I've been visiting this theatre for over 40 years - my first trip was to see the famous Brook "Midsummer Night's Dream". Over time there have been some less exciting productions, but this is where you can see Shakespeare performed intelligently, interestingly and often excitingly, and with stars of the past, present and future. (I saw the very young Sean Bean as Romeo in the 80s, and David Tennant in "The Rivals" in the 90s, for example.) It's always worth taking the backstage tour if you have time - it is fascinating to see how many superb craftspeople are needed for a show to run - a play is a true collaboration. This is a world class theatre, and a great national treasure.

Fabulous and historic theater, with so many incredible productions over many years, And set in Shakepeare's birthplace! Magic! A wonderful theater, and this production had fabulous performances by all. Not one of my favorite plays, 'til now - they did such an amazing job. Wonderful, wonderful actors all! Set design, costumes, direction, lighting as well - just a great production all 'round. I can't say enough. I was totally moved and blown away. On top of all this, the theater itself boasts an elegant rooftop restaurant, cafe, bar, exhibits, gift/souvenir shop, gorgeous old costumes worn in previous productions, off hour tours of front and back of house... Just Heaven itself. A magical, sort of Disneyland for theater and Shakespeare and England lovers!

As always the performmances at the RSC are probably the best you will see. The costumes, set and music are innovative and appropriate. David Tennant was excellent (as always!) as were all the cast. The seats are comfortable and have a good view of the stage. This is the place to see Shakespeare!

We were in stratford for a couple of weeks in November, and had seats fro A&C, which we were very disappointed in (see Torygraph review of 14.11, not our politics, rev. reflects our thoughts). The highlight of our time visiting the RSC was undoubtedly the two tours we took - "after dark" and backstage. Both led by David, knowledgable, fun, challenging and charming, the latter also included Sue, a delightful person, also knowledgable. Sadly couldn't get returns for R II, but did buy The Hollow Crown DVD set, at a discount, so very happy :) As an earlier reviewer said, made us proud to be British, a rare feeling these days.

David Tennant as Richard II. Absolutely brilliant. Fabulous cast and (thank heaven) period costume. I have been to the new theatre before but never seen the floor lift up like that- really jaw-dropping!

RSC to restart theatre tours in Stratford

Published: 23 February 2022 Reporter: Steve Orme

The Royal Shakespeare Company is to restart its theatre tours in Stratford from Saturday 30 April with a new, one-hour guided tour which, when possible, will include access to the company’s newly developed costume workshop.

Led by the RSC’s experienced team of tour guides, the theatre tour will invite audiences to explore the public and backstage areas of its Stratford buildings and find out more about the history of the RSC.

The RSC’s tower will reopen from Tuesday 15 March. It stands 36 metres tall and has views across Warwickshire. Entrance to the tower will be free and prebooking is not required. It will be open daily until 4PM.

Kevin Wright, RSC head of commercial development, said, “we’re delighted to be offering public theatre tours again after a hiatus of more than two years. We’ve taken this time to refresh the tours so that, when possible, they include a visit to our new costume workshop, giving people a glimpse into the work of the largest in-house costume-making department of any British theatre.”

Theatre tours cost £12 per person and will run daily. There will be four tours a day apart from matinée days when there will be two and on Sundays when there will be three.

* Some links, including Amazon, Stageplays.com, Bookshop.org, ATG Tickets, LOVEtheatre, BTG Tickets, Ticketmaster, The Ticket Factory, LW Theatres and QuayTickets, are affiliate links for which BTG may earn a small fee at no extra cost to the purchaser.

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Virtual tour

Explore our theatres in Stratford-upon-Avon and take a peek inside.

See if you can find your way onto the Royal Shakespeare Theatre or Swan Theatre stages.

Look for the white arrows on the floor. Use them to move around and explore our building. Use your keyboard arrow keys or drag the screen to look up, down, left or right.

• Virtual tour - Royal Shakespeare Theatre

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Visit the RSC Tower – A Spectacular Bird’s Eye View of Stratford upon Avon!

By: Author Sophie Pearce

Posted on Last updated: August 19, 2023

Categories STRATFORD UPON AVON , ENGLAND , WARWICKSHIRE

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for details.

One of the best views in all of Stratford upon Avon can be accessed 32 metres above street level in the RSC Tower! 

You can get the lift all the way up from the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and be immersed into a bird’s eye view of the home of Shakespeare.

On a clear day, you can see views for up to twenty miles across four counties in England. 

Make sure you bring your camera, as this is the ultimate selfie spot with unrivalled views of Stratford. Here’s all you need to know about the RSC Tower.

Where is the RSC Tower in Stratford?

The RSC Tower is part of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford Upon Avon on The Waterside.

You can’t really miss the RSC building in Stratford as it’s a huge red brick building on the banks of the River Avon near Clopton Bridge as you drive into the centre. The postcode for your reference is CV37 6BB.

Stratford Upon Avon is quite compact and easily accessible on foot.

The RSC Tower is only a five-minute walk from Shakespeare’s birthplace and a 15-minute walk from Stratford Upon Avon train station.

Some practical information about visiting the RSC Tower

Opening times of the rsc tower.

The RSC Tower is open daily and can be accessed from 10 am. These times differ in Summer and Winter;

• March – October – 10am – 5pm.
• October – March – 10am – 4.30pm

During performances, access may be limited. Always check before you visit. The visits are restricted to 20 minutes and if you have a big bag or suitcase you will be asked to store it in their cloakroom free of charge. 

Prices and Tickets for the RSC Tower

A visit to the RSC tower is a bargain and only costs £3 per adult. Tickets can be purchased online , or on the day at their box office. 

If you’re spending the day at the RSC, you can save by purchasing their Explorer Pass ticket . These are £15 but include a behind-the-scenes RSC theatre tour and entry into their award-winning exhibition The Play’s The Thing. This gives you a saving £5, which is a winner in my books. 

Accessibility at the RSC Tower

The tower is some 174 steps up, but thankfully there is a convenient elevator to take you all the way up to the top as part of your ticket price!

What can you see from the RSC Tower?

I went up to the RSC Tower with my Mum and we couldn’t believe the breathtaking views we got from up here.

I had never seen Stratford Upon Avon from this perspective and I could have spent all day taking in the sights from this level.

Make sure you grab a map from the staff so you can spot the sights. 

From the RSC Tower, you can see 360-degree panoramic views of the whole of Stratford Upon Avon and beyond.

On a clear day, the view expands 20 miles and covers the four counties of Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, and Worcestershire.

To the West, you can see all of Stratford town. Stratford has stunning Tudor beamed houses on every street corner and you can see so many of them up here. Like Shakespeares’ Schoolrooms, his Birthplace, and a load on the High Street.

To The North, you can see Clopton Bridge, The Stratford Wheel, Snitterfield where Shakespeare’s dad came from, and the Welcombe hill and Obelisk.

To the East, you can see Charlecote and in the South, you can look out towards Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare was buried. As I kid, I used to call this the ‘owl in the party hat’ because it really does look like it haha!

We went up around 2 pm and had it almost completely to ourselves! We couldn’t stop taking photos and we even saw some birds flying over.

Some fun RSC Tower facts

• The RSC Tower is 32 metres above street level, the same size as 7 double decker buses
• The design of the RSC Tower was based on the old water tower that was part of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre before it burned down in 1927
• There are 174 steps up to the top of the RSC tower from the bottom 
• You can see for 20 miles across Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire.
• The Welcombe Obelisk you can see North is the same size as this tower!

Is the RSC Tower worth a visit?

100% YES! Of course, Stratford Upon Avon is pretty on the ground level as it’s a gorgeous gem in the Warwickshire countryside.

But, from here you can not only get a fantastic view of the town with all of Shakespeare’s museums but the River Avon, Holy Trinity Church, neighbouring estates, and beyond!

My Mum and I loved coming up here to take in the views. We couldn’t stop taking photos and trying to point out all the places with the Tower Map the RSC gave us. 

It’s a picture-perfect opportunity that won’t break the bank and gives you a whole new perspective of Stratford!

Looking for more things to do at the RSC?

There is so much to do at the RSC in Stratford you will be spoiled for choice.

You can take a theatre tour, watch a play, go shopping, visit art galleries, marvel at exciting exhibits, have a coffee and a cake in the cafés, and enjoy delectable pre-theatre dining.

Some of the exhibits are FREE and you can get an RSC Explorer Pass for some serious savings.

Read more – amazing things to do at the RSC Theatre in Stratford Upon Avon !

Shakespeare museums in Stratford upon Avon

If you’re mad for Shakespeare, you will love Stratford Upon Avon. Shakespeare was born here, lived, and died here so there are plenty of museums dotted around the town to visit.

You can visit his birthplace on Henley Street, his retirement home at New Place, his daughter’s house at Hall’s Croft, and Anne Hathaway’s Cottage , his wife’s Tudor family home.

These are all part of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust and you can buy one ticket to see the whole story.

If you want to learn about what school was like in Will Shakespeare’s time you must check out the Shakespeare Schoolrooms and Guildhall. You can also pay your respects at his gravesite in Holy Trinity Church.

Read next – all the Shakespeare spots you cannot miss in Stratford!

Where to stay in Stratford Upon Avon

If you’re looking for a place to stay in Stratford, then look no other than the Arden Hotel.

It’s located opposite the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. So, it’s the ideal location if you’re planning a visit to the RSC and to watch one of their shows! You only have to walk a few steps and your bed will be waiting. 

I stayed here on my visit and I absolutely loved it!

They have luxurious suites, a Tudor knot garden with views of the theatre, The refurbished No 44 Waterside Brasserie for pre-theatre dining, and a Champagne Bar to celebrate.

Click here to read my full review of the Arden Hotel !

With thanks to the RSC for sponsoring my visit to the RSC Tower as part of my RSC Explorer Pass. Although I was a guest, all views and photos are my own.

Save this RSC Tower review for later!

Tilly Jaye Horseman

Saturday 18th of July 2020

No way that is a view. I’d never have guessed you could see so much from up there. Wow.... must do this when I’m next in Stratford. ?

Sophie Pearce

Sunday 9th of August 2020

I would 100% recommend going up there! It's not too expensive and you get to see birds-eye views of the area. Such a cool experience. Thanks, Sophie x

Monday 10th of June 2019

It is really amazing how thorough you are with your travel blogs. The places look amazing and the pictures are stunning.

Saturday 15th of June 2019

Hi Nir, thanks so much for your feedback. Glad you like them. Sophie x

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RSC offers 25,000 tickets at £25 to ‘throw open doors’ to diverse crowds

Royal Shakespeare Company’s new artistic directors team up with artists from around the world to appeal to wider audience

The Royal Shakespeare Company is attempting to attract new audiences by offering 25,000 tickets at £25 as the theatre’s new artistic directors aim to “throw open the doors” to a more diverse crowd.

The RSC’s first joint artistic directors in four decades, Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey, announced an inaugural season packed with politically tinged plays as they try to reinvigorate the former home of the bard.

They said: “With this, our first season, we want to throw open the doors in every sense, collaborating with artists from across the globe on all our stages, and ensuring we can welcome as many people as possible with a brand new ticketing initiative.”

The pair were billed as the people to “ shake up ” Shakespeare when they were appointed in September 2022. They are bringing an adaptation of Hanif Kureishi’s the Buddha of Suburbia to the stage alongside Kyoto, set around the Japanese climate agreement of 1997 , David Edgar ’s the New Real, which looks at political campaigning, and the European premiere of the Iranian play English.

While their joint appointment was celebrated by many, including Sam Mendes, the Guardian’s Michael Billington said they faced a tough challenge. He wrote that the RSC was “ an institution in need of redefinition ”, which had to deal with the fallout from “Covid, the metropolitan bias of British culture and the marginalisation of Shakespeare”.

The pair pushed back against the idea that the RSC was no longer part of the cultural conversation, pointing to the recent success of the Studio Ghibli adaptation My Neighbour Totoro. Harvey said under the pair not every play needed to be set in 2024 but productions did need “to be in the conversation of our times”.

When asked how the Kureishi adaptation sat next to the bard’s canon, Evans said the idea was that during their tenure “everything is on the table”, with Harvey adding that their non-Shakespearean offer needed to have “big lungs” and deal with complex conversations.

Evans and Harvey’s first season features seven Shakespeare plays, with four comedies – including Love’s Labour’s Lost, Twelfth Night, the Merry Wives of Windsor and As You Like It. There will also be a production of King Lear performed by the Ukrainian Uzhhorod theatre company, a ballet performance of Romeo and Juliet and a Rupert Goold-directed Hamlet.

Harvey and Evans will take the helm during the season, with Evans performing the lead in Christopher Marlowe’s Edward II and Harvey directing the Harry Potter star Alfred Enoch, who leads her version of Pericles.

“The timeless, protean nature of Shakespeare’s writing offers an exciting canvas for artists – and we’re excited to be renewing collaborations with so many of them,” they said. “This season marks the beginning of a new era for the RSC”.

The ticketing plan will be on offer for the entire season and sit alongside the existing TikTok £10 scheme for 14- to 25-year-olds.

When Evans and Harvey took over from the outgoing artistic director Gregory Doran in June 2023, they became the first co-artistic directors of the company since Terry Hands and Trevor Nunn were installed in 1978.

* This piece was amended on 17 January 2023 to correct the title of David Edgar’s new play

• Royal Shakespeare Company

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RSC to stage adaptation of animated fantasy film My Neighbour Totoro

Gregory Doran to step down after a decade as artistic director at RSC

Taming of the crew: the bard meets Cunard in RSC cruise deal

RSC appoints first woman and person of colour as chair

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